Sidetracking apparatus



May 25, 1937.

\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\HHHHHHHHHWHHHHH\ A. L. EAS'THAM vSIDETRACKING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 18; 195e H l HHHHHHHIH Zim/ 2 vSheets-Sheet. 1

May 25, 1937 A.-|.. EAsTHAM l 2,081,294

SIDETRACKING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 18, 19:56 2 sheets-sheet 2l atented May 25, '1931? Well bore through which side opening subsequent Y drilling operations may be carried on for the pur- .pose of drilling the well deeper.

`In well drilling operations the well sometimes becomes obstructed by objects dropped or stuck in the bore which must be sidetracked; or the lower end of the bore becomes inclined or crooked and it may be necessary to sidetrack in order to straighten the bore. It is common practice in such cases, or in any other cases where it may be .desirable to sidetrack, to locate a whipstock in the well and to employ a, milling tool in cooperation with the whipstock to sidetrack the lower end of the'bore. The invention herein described comprises a novel type of sidetraclring apparatus designed to be used in cooperation with the whipstock for the purpose of periorating the side wall ofthe pipe or casing in the weil to form a window" or opening through which subsequent drilling operations may be carried on.

A further object of the invention is to provide t apparatus of this character which will securely maintain the whipstock against turning while carrying on the sidetracking operations, and which will also hold the milling cutter firmly against the casing or pipe to be perforated so as `to emciently carry on the perforating operation.

It is a iurther object-of the invention to provide a sidetracking 'apparatus which includes a milling cutter and means whereby the cutter may be positively driven and guided.

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus of this character wherein the milling tool will Vbe relieved o1' the weight ci the operating string and will be automatically fed to the work without lowering the operating string during the sidetracking operation.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation, and anfangement of parts, an example of which isgiven in this speciiication and illustrated in the accompanyin'g drawings wherein:

Figure 1 shows a side view. partly in section, of the lower end Aof the sldetraclring apparatus as the same is being lowered. with the whipstock attached, into the well, said view showing the weil casing in section and showing also a fragmentary view of the whipstoclr.

G PARATUS Albert i.. Etm, aont, llen.

i is, 193s. serial No. 541,538

(ci. assn Figure 2 shows a side view, partly in of the upper portion of the sidetracking apparatus in the casing. l Figure 3 shows a vertical, sectional view taken at right angles to the views of the deviceshown in Figures `1 and 2. y

Figure ishows a side view of the complete sidetracking apparatus in operative position in the casing to be perforated.

Figure 5 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 shows an enlargedcross-sectional view taken on the line @-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 'l shows a cross-sectional view taken on the line 'l-f-l of Figure 1, and

Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view taken on the line -t of Figure 3.

section,

Referring now more particularly to the draw- `ings wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts. in each of the figures, the numeral l designates a casing set in a well bore and which is to be perforated, and the numeral El designates a conventional whipstocl: adapted to be set in the casing to be sidetracked. As is well known to those familiar with the art, the upper end of the whipstock tapers, forming the sloping face 3 which is arcuate in crosssectional contour. This whipstock may be secured against downward movement at any desired point in thewell by conventional means now used for that purpose.

Referring now more particularly to the sidetraclnng apparatus forming the subject matter of the present invention, thev numeral t designates a wedge-like anchor which, in the plain. is a solid body whose outer surface 5 is4 shaped to conform to the shape of and to ilt closely g against the inside of the pipe l and whose inner side is shaped to conform substantially to the arcuate sloping face of the whipstock. The sides t and t 'converge o r taper downwardly so that the anchor t will wedge between the sloping face 3 and the `opposite side of the pipe l. When in operative position,.this anchor will prevent the whipstock 2 from turning during the milling op- Y eration, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The upper-end ofmthe anchor t' has the socket 'l to receive the ball joint member' 8 and also has a 1, and this gland lflares upwardly to provide the necessary range of movement of the stem I0.

The lower end of the ball joint member 8 has a transverse keyway I3 which is aligned with the keyway 9 and a key I4 is inserted through said keyway to prevent the turning of the ball joint member 8 relative to the anchor 4, but to permit a swinging movement of the stem I in the plane of the keyway 9. l

The numeral I5 designates an approximately cylindrical bar. A coupling I6 is threaded to the lower end' of said bar and the lower end of said coupling is reduced inwardly to form a bearing I 1 through which the spindle I8, carried by the head II, works. A swivel nuty I9 is located within the coupling I 6 and is screwed on to the upper end of the spindle I3 whereby the bar I5 is connected `to said spindle, but is rotatable relative thereto.

The numeral 20 designates an operating string of pipe which extends to the ground surface and which is connected to the upper end of the bar I5 by means of the tubular coupling 2|. The `lower end of this coupling is enlarged, or bell-shaped', at 22, said enlarged portion being of slightly smaller diameter than the inside diameter of the'pipe I so as to ride against the inside of the pipe to prevent wabbling movement of the bar during operations.

Slidably mounted on the bar I5, but non-rotatable relative thereto, there is a suitable milling cutter, as 23, whose lower end is formed with the cutter blades or bits 24. The bar I5 has a deep groove 25 in one side thereof and extending longif tudinally approximately from end to end thereof.

Mounted in the upper and lower ends, respectively, of this groove are the bearing blocks 26, 21, which are suitably secured in place, and a screw shaft 28 is located in the groove 25 and has its ends mounted in bearings in the respective blocks 26, 21, said bearings beingv in alignment, but being eccentric with respect to the axis of the bar I5. A nut 29 is fastened to the inside of the milling tool 23 and is fitted in the groove 25 and the said shaft 28 is threaded through the nut 29.

Fixed on the lower end of the shaft 28, thereds the star wheel 30 which is housed within the coupling I6, and is located between the lower end of the bar I5 and the upper end of the spindle I8. Upstanding from the nut I9 and located at one side of the coupling I6, there is the finger 3| arranged to be engaged by the star wheel 30 as the i shaft 26 revolves about the axis oi' rotation of the bar I5 whereby partial rotation will be imparted successively to the shaft 28.

The operating string is tubular and continuing from its lower end down through the bar I5 there is a channel 32 whose lower end is outwardly turned through the side of said bar, and through which flushing fluid may be supplied to the milling tool during the sidetracking operations.

'Ihe lower end of the anchor 4 has a depending extension 33 which may be fastened to the upper end of the whipstock by means of a frangible pin or bolt 34.

The apparatus may be assembled as indicated in Figures 1 and 2 and let down into the well to the desired location and the whipstock may be set in the usual way. Thereupon, upon release of the weight of the operating string, the pin 34 will be sheared and the anchor willY move on downwardly and wedge between the set whipstock and the surrounding casing or pipe in the manner indicated in Figure 4. However, at this time the milling tool 23 will be at the upper end of the bar I5 as indicated in Figure 2. The bar I5 will assume an angular relation with respect to the axis of the pipe I, the ball lil pivoting on the key .9 to permit this. Upon rtation of the operating string 20 the milling tool 23 will be correspondingly rotated. With each rotation of the bar I5 the star wheel 30 will engage the nger 3| and be partly rotated, imparting a partial rotation to the feed shaft 23,

thus gradually feeding the milling tool down' wardly., The tool will be held in operating relation with the pipe to be perforated, and as it moves downwardly, will mill an oblong window y through the casing.

The drawings and description disclose what is l now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A sidetracking apparatus comprising an anchor adapted to be located between a whipstock in a well and the opposing side wall of the well and effective to prevent the turning movement of the whipstock in the well, a turnable bar whose lower end is connected with the anchor, a milling tool on and rotatable with the bar, means for feeding the tool downwardly as the bar rotates.

2. A sidetracking apparatus comprising an anchor adapted to be located between a whipstock in a well and theopposing side wall of the well. and effective to prevent the turning movement of the whipstock inthe well, a turnable bar whose lower end is connected with the anchor, a milling tool on and rotatable with the bar, means for feeding the tool downwardly as the bar'rotates. and an operating string connected to and adapted to rotate the bar.

3. Apparatus of the character described comprising an anchor, a connection flexibly, but nonrotatably, connected with the anchor, a bar rotatably connected to said connection, means for rotating the bar, a milling tool lrotatable with the bar and means for feeding the tool along the bar as the bar rotates. 4. Apparatus of the character described comprising an anchor shaped to wedge between the sloping face of a whipstock and the opposing wall of a well in which the whipstock is located, a rotatable bar, one end 'of which has a connection with the anchor, a milling tool movable along the bar and rotatable therewith, an operating string for rotating the bar, means for intermittently moving the tool along the bar as the bar rotates.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising an anchor shaped to wedge between the sloping face of a whipstock and the opposing wall of a well in which the whipstock is located, a rotatable bar, one end of which has a connection with the anchor, a milling tool movable along the bar androtatable therewith, an operating string for rotating the bar, means for intermittently moving the tool along the bar as the bar rotates to feed the tool to the work.

6. An` apparatus for perforating pipe in a well vcomprising an anchor shaped to fit between a Y bar to the anchor, said connecting means being flexibly connected to the anchor to permit the bar to assume an angular relation to the axis of the pipe to be perforated, a milling cutter on, and rotatable with, the bar, means for feeding the cutter alongr the bar and into cutting relation as the bar rotates. v

8. An apparatus forpertorating pim in a well comprising an anchor shaped to wedge between a deector in the rpipe and the opposite wall of the pipe; a rotatable bar, means for connecting the bar to the anchor, said connecting means being exibly connected to: the anchor to permit the bar to assume an angular relation to the axis of the pipe to be perforated, a milling cutter on, and rotatable with, thebar, means for feeding the cutter along the bar and into cutting relation as the bar rotates, and an operating string connected to, and 'eective to rotate, the bar. f

ALBERT L. EASTHAM. 

